Structural components, such as for example turbine blades of gas turbines, must be heated during production or maintenance work or for repair thereof for the performance of most varied working or processing operations. Such heating is also referred to as pre-heating. It is also customary to heat gas turbine structural components subsequent to a working operation in the sense of a heat treatment.
In connection with the maintenance of turbine blades, so-called deposit welding is used, for example. In connection with the deposit welding, pre-heating to a desired process temperature of a machining (or working) area or welding area of the turbine blades to be welded is required. A reliable deposit welding can be performed only when the turbine blade to be welded has been heated at least in the machining area to the process temperature and is kept at the desired process temperature during the deposit welding.
According to the prior art, so-called inductive systems are used for heating or pre-heating of structural components. Such inductive systems may involve coils, for example, which heat the structural component based on an inductive energy introduction. The heating or pre-heating of structural components by means of inductive systems has the disadvantage that during the heating or pre-heating high-temperature tolerances of up to 50° C. may develop at the structural component to be heated. Such an inexact temperature distribution on the structural component to be heated is disadvantageous. Moreover, such inductive systems consume very much energy. Another disadvantage of inductive systems resides in the fact that during the heating or pre-heating, higher temperatures may develop inside the structural component than on the surface of the structural component. This may lead to damages of the structural component.